Southeast Supply Header, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast Supply Header Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings, 44685-44687 [E6-12720]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 151 / Monday, August 7, 2006 / Notices
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at 1–866–208–FERC or on the FERC
Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov) using
the eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary
link, click on ‘‘General Search’’ and
enter the docket number excluding the
last three digits in the Docket Number
field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
free at 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502–8659. The eLibrary
link also provides access to the texts of
formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now
offers a free service called eSubscription
which allows you to keep track of all
formal issuances and submittals in
specific dockets. This can reduce the
amount of time you spend researching
proceedings by automatically providing
you with notification of these filings,
document summaries and direct links to
the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–12722 Filed 8–4–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Docket No. PF06–28–000
Southeast Supply Header, LLC; Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed
Southeast Supply Header Project,
Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meetings
July 28, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
44685
Commission) will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that will identify and address the
environmental impacts that could result
from the construction and operation of
the Southeast Supply Header Project
proposed by Southeast Supply Header,
LLC (SESH) a partnership between Duke
Energy Gas Transmission and
CenterPoint Gas Transmission.
In order to assist staff with the
identification of environmental issues
and to comply with the requirements of
the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA), a thirty day scoping
period has been opened to receive
comments on the proposed project.
Please note that the scoping period for
this project will close on August 28,
2006.
Additionally, as part of the scoping
process, we will also hold three public
meetings, as described below, to receive
comments on the proposed project.
Date and time
Location
Monday—August 21, 2006, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (CST) ..........
Multipurpose Building in Gallman, West Gallman Road, Gallman, Mississippi, Telephone: (601) 953–9007.
Hattiesburg Lake Terrace, Convention Center, One Convention Center Plaza, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39042, Telephone: (800) 638–6877.
Lucedale Rocky Creek Inn, 120 Woods Ridge Road, Lucedale, Mississippi 39452,
Telephone: (601) 947–6900.
Tuesday—August 22, 2006, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (CST) .........
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Thursday—August 24, 2006, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (CST) .......
This notice is being sent to affected
landowners; federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers; all of which are
encouraged to submit comments on the
proposed project. Details on how to
submit comments are provided in the
Public Participation section of this
notice.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, you may be contacted by a SESH
representative about the acquisition of
an easement to construct, operate, and
maintain the proposed project facilities.
The pipeline company would seek to
negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the project is
approved by the FERC, that approval
conveys with it the right of eminent
domain. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an
agreement, the pipeline company could
initiate condemnation proceedings in
accordance with state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility on My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on
the FERC Internet Web site
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Aug 04, 2006
Jkt 208001
(www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet
addresses a number of typically asked
questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the
FERC’s proceedings.
Summary of the Proposed Project
SESH proposes to construct, own and
operate a new 36-inch-diameter natural
gas pipeline and associated facilities
that would be capable of receiving and
transporting about 1.0 billion cubic feet
of natural gas per day in Richland and
Madison Parishes, Louisiana; Warren,
Claiborne, Hinds, Copiah, Simpson,
Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Covington,
Jones, Forrest, Perry, Greene, George,
and Jackson Counties, Mississippi; and
Mobile County, Alabama.
The general location of the proposed
pipeline is shown in the figure included
as Appendix 1.1
Specifically, SESH proposes to
construct and operate the following
facilities:
• Approximately 270 miles of 36inch-diameter pipeline beginning in
Richland Parish, Louisiana and ending
in Mobile County, Alabama;
1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register.
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Fmt 4703
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• Three natural gas compressor
stations: Delhi Compressor Station in
Richland Parish (30,000 hp), Louisiana;
Gwenville Compressor Station in
Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi
(15,000 hp) and the Lucedale
Compressor Station in George County,
Mississippi (15,000 hp);
• Three booster compressor stations
at the Texas Eastern Transmission LP
(TETLP) meter and regulation (M&R)
Station, at the Transcontinental Gas
Pipeline Corporation (Transco) M&R
Station, and at the Tennessee Gas
Pipeline Company (Tennessee Gas)
M&R Station in Copiah, Jefferson Davis
and Forrest Counties, Mississippi;
• Twelve natural gas pipeline
interconnects and M&R Stations; and
• Three pig launching and receiving
facilities and several mainline valves.
SESH proposes to have the project
constructed and operational by June
2008.
Land Requirements for Construction
As proposed, the typical construction
right-of-way for the project pipeline
would be 100 feet wide. Following
construction, SESH has proposed to
retain a 50-foot-wide permanent rightof-way for operation of the project.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 151 / Monday, August 7, 2006 / Notices
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Additional, temporary extra workspaces
beyond the typical construction right-ofway limits may also be required at
certain feature crossings (e.g., roads,
railroads, wetlands, or waterbodies), in
areas with steep side slopes, or in
association with special construction
techniques. In residential areas,
wetlands, and other sensitive areas, the
construction right-of-way width would
be reduced as necessary to protect
homeowners and environmental
resources.
Based on preliminary information,
construction and operation of the
proposed project facilities would affect
about 3,789 acres of land. Following
construction, about 1,616 acres would
be maintained as permanent right-ofway, and about 120 acres of land would
be maintained as new aboveground
facility sites. The remaining 2,053 acres
of temporary workspace (including all
temporary construction rights-of-way,
extra workspaces, and pipe storage and
contractor yards) would be restored and
allowed to revert to its former use.
The EIS Process
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from the
approval of an interstate natural gas
pipeline. The FERC will use the EIS to
consider the environmental impact that
could result if the CEGT project is
authorized under section 7 of the
Natural Gas Act.
NEPA also requires us to discover and
address concerns the public may have
about proposals to be considered by the
Commission. This process is referred to
as ‘‘scoping.’’ The main goal of the
scoping process is to focus the analysis
in the EIS on the important
environmental issues. With this Notice
of Intent, the Commission staff is
requesting public comments on the
scope of the issues to be addressed in
the EIS. All comments received will be
considered during preparation of the
EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts
that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
proposed project under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• Water resources;
• Wetlands and vegetation;
• Fish and wildlife;
• Threatened and endangered
species;
• Land use, recreation, and visual
resources;
• Air quality and noise;
• Cultural resources;
• Socioeconomics;
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Aug 04, 2006
Jkt 208001
• Reliability and safety; and
• Cumulative impacts.
In the EIS, we will also evaluate
possible alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on affected
resources.
Our independent analysis of the
issues will be included in a draft EIS.
The draft EIS will be mailed to Federal,
State, and local government agencies;
elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American
tribes; affected landowners;
commentors; other interested parties;
local libraries and newspapers; and the
FERC’s official service list for this
proceeding. A 45-day comment period
will be allotted for review of the draft
EIS. We will consider all comments on
the draft EIS and revise the document,
as necessary, before issuing a final EIS.
We will consider all comments on the
final EIS before we make our
recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure that your comments are
considered, please follow the
instructions in the Public Participation
section of this notice.
Although no formal application has
been filed, the FERC staff has already
initiated its NEPA review under the
Commission’s Pre-filing Process. The
purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to
encourage the early involvement of
interested stakeholders and to identify
and resolve issues before an application
is filed with the FERC.
With this notice, we are asking
Federal, State, and local governmental
agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to
environmental issues, especially those
identified in Appendix 2, to express
their interest in becoming cooperating
agencies for the preparation of the EIS.
These agencies may choose to
participate once they have evaluated the
proposal relative to their
responsibilities. Agencies that would
like to request cooperating status should
follow the instructions for filing
comments provided in Appendix 2.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
The EIS will discuss impacts that
could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
proposed project. We have already
identified several issues that we think
deserve attention based on a
preliminary review of the project site
and the facility information provided by
CEGT. This preliminary list of issues
may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis.
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Frm 00082
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
• Potential effects on prime farmland
and erodable soils.
• Potential impacts to perennial and
intermittent waterbodies, including
waterbodies with Federal and/or State
designations/protections.
• Evaluation of temporary and
permanent impacts on wetlands and
development of appropriate mitigation.
• Potential impacts to fish and
wildlife habitat, including potential
impacts to federally and state-listed
threatened and endangered species.
• Potential visual effects of the
aboveground facilities on surrounding
areas.
• Potential impacts and potential
benefits of construction workforce on
local housing, infrastructure, public
services, and economy.
• Potential impacts to local air and
noise quality associated with
construction and operation.
• Public safety and potential hazards
associated with the transport of natural
gas.
• Alternative alignments for the
pipeline route and alternative sites for
the compressor stations.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the
proposed project. By becoming a
commentor, your concerns will be
addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments
should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable
alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and
measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly
recorded, please carefully follow these
instructions:
• Send an original and two copies of
your letter to: Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room
1A, Washington, DC 20426.
• Label one copy of your comments
for the attention of Gas Branch 2, DG2E.
• Reference Docket No. PF06–28–000
on the original and both copies.
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before August 28, 2006.
Please note that we are continuing to
experience delays in mail deliveries
from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result,
we will include all comments that we
receive within a reasonable timeframe
in our environmental analysis of this
project. The Commission strongly
encourages electronic filing of any
E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM
07AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 151 / Monday, August 7, 2006 / Notices
comments in response to this Notice of
Intent. For information on electronically
filing comments, please see the
instructions on the Commission’s Web
site at www.ferc.gov.
The public scoping meetings are
designed to provide another opportunity
to offer comments on the proposed
project. Interested groups and
individuals are encouraged to attend the
meetings and to present comments on
the environmental issues they believe
should be addressed in the EIS. A
transcript of each meeting will be
generated so that your comments will be
accurately recorded.
Once SESH formally files its
application with the Commission, you
may want to become an official party to
the proceeding known as an
‘‘intervenor.’’ Intervenors play a more
formal role in the process and are able
to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be
heard by the courts if they choose to
appeal the Commission’s final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in a
Commission proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for
becoming an intervenor are included in
the User’s Guide under the ‘‘e-filing’’
link on the Commission’s Web site.
Please note that you may not request
intervenor status at this time. You must
wait until a formal application is filed
with the Commission.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Environmental Mailing List
An effort is being made to send this
notice to all individuals, organizations,
and government entities interested in
and/or potentially affected by the
proposed project. This includes all
landowners who are potential right-ofway grantors, whose property may be
used temporarily for project purposes,
or who own homes within distances
defined in the Commission’s regulations
of certain aboveground facilities.
If you received this notice, you are on
the environmental mailing list for this
project. If you do not want to send
comments at this time, but still want to
remain on our mailing list, please return
the Information Request (Appendix 3). If
you do not return the Information
Request, you will be removed from the
Commission’s environmental mailing
list.
Availability of Additional Information
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at 1–866–208–FERC (3372). Additional
information can also be found on the
Internet at www.ferc.gov. The ‘‘eLibrary
link’’ on the FERC Web site provides
access to documents submitted to and
issued by the Commission, such as
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:19 Aug 04, 2006
Jkt 208001
comments, orders, notices and
rulemakings. Once on the FERC Web
site, click on the ‘‘eLibrary link,’’ select
‘‘General Search’’ and in the ‘‘Docket
Number’’ field enter the project docket
number excluding the last three digits
(PF06–28). When researching
information be sure to select an
appropriate date range. In addition, the
FERC now offers a free e-mail service
called eSubscription that allows you to
keep track of all formal issuances and
submittals in specific dockets. This can
reduce the amount of time you spend
researching proceedings by
automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document
summaries and direct links to the
documents. To register for this service,
go to www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be
posted on the Commission’s calendar
located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related
information.
For assistance with the FERC Web site
or with eSubscription, please contact
FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
free at 1–866–208–3676, or TTY, contact
(202) 502–8659.
Finally, SESH has established an
Internet Web site for this project at
www.duke-energy.com/companies/degt/
projects/sesh/. The Web site includes a
description of the project, a map of the
proposed pipeline route, and answers to
frequently asked questions. You can
also request additional information or
provide comments directly to SESH at
1–888–312–7374.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–12720 Filed 8–4–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Notice of Application Accepted for
Filing and Soliciting Motions To
Intervene, Protests, and Comments
July 28, 2006.
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection:
a. Type of Application: Preliminary
Permit.
b. Project No.: 12713–000.
c. Date filed: July 14, 2006.
d. Applicant: Reedsport OPT Wave
Park, LLC.
e. Name of Project: Reedsport OPT
Wave Park Project.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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44687
f. Location: The project would be
located in the Pacific Ocean about 3
miles off shore in Douglas County,
Oregon.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).
h. Applicant Contacts: Charles F.
Dunleavy, Reedsport OPT Wave Park,
LLC, 1590 Reed Road, Pennington, NJ
08534, phone: (609)–730–0400.
i. FERC Contact: Robert Bell, (202)
502–6062.
j. Deadline for filing comments,
protests, and motions to intervene: 60
days from the issuance date of this
notice.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure require all intervenors
filing documents with the Commission
to serve a copy of that document on
each person in the official service list
for the project. Further, if an intervenor
files comments or documents with the
Commission relating to the merits of an
issue that may affect the responsibilities
of a particular resource agency, they
must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
k. Description of Project: The
proposed project would consist of: (1)
200 Power Buoys having a total
installed capacity of 50 megawatts, (2) a
proposed 13.8 kilovolt transmission
line; and (3) appurtenant facilities. The
project is estimated to have an annual
generation of 153.3 gigawatt-hours perunit per-year, which would be sold to a
local utility.
l. Locations of Applications: A copy of
the application is available for
inspection and reproduction at the
Commission in the Public Reference
Room, located at 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by
calling (202) 502–8371. This filing may
also be viewed on the Commission’s
Web site at https://www.ferc.gov using
the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, call toll-free
1–866–208–3676 or e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY,
call (202) 502–8659. A copy is also
available for inspection and
reproduction at the address in item h
above.
m. Individuals desiring to be included
on the Commission’s mailing list should
so indicate by writing to the Secretary
of the Commission.
n. Competing Preliminary Permit:
Anyone desiring to file a competing
application for preliminary permit for a
proposed project must submit the
competing application itself, or a notice
of intent to file such an application, to
the Commission on or before the
specified comment date for the
E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM
07AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 151 (Monday, August 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44685-44687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12720]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Docket No. PF06-28-000
Southeast Supply Header, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast Supply Header
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meetings
July 28, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will identify and address the environmental impacts that could result
from the construction and operation of the Southeast Supply Header
Project proposed by Southeast Supply Header, LLC (SESH) a partnership
between Duke Energy Gas Transmission and CenterPoint Gas Transmission.
In order to assist staff with the identification of environmental
issues and to comply with the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), a thirty day scoping period
has been opened to receive comments on the proposed project. Please
note that the scoping period for this project will close on August 28,
2006.
Additionally, as part of the scoping process, we will also hold
three public meetings, as described below, to receive comments on the
proposed project.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date and time Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday--August 21, 2006, 7 p.m. to Multipurpose Building in Gallman,
9 p.m. (CST). West Gallman Road, Gallman,
Mississippi, Telephone: (601) 953-
9007.
Tuesday--August 22, 2006, 7 p.m. Hattiesburg Lake Terrace, Convention
to 9 p.m. (CST). Center, One Convention Center
Plaza, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
39042, Telephone: (800) 638-6877.
Thursday--August 24, 2006, 7 p.m. Lucedale Rocky Creek Inn, 120 Woods
to 9 p.m. (CST). Ridge Road, Lucedale, Mississippi
39452, Telephone: (601) 947-6900.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested
parties; and local libraries and newspapers; all of which are
encouraged to submit comments on the proposed project. Details on how
to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of
this notice.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by a SESH representative about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed project facilities. The
pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the FERC, that
approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if
easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline
company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with
state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet
addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of
eminent domain and how to participate in the FERC's proceedings.
Summary of the Proposed Project
SESH proposes to construct, own and operate a new 36-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline and associated facilities that would be capable of
receiving and transporting about 1.0 billion cubic feet of natural gas
per day in Richland and Madison Parishes, Louisiana; Warren, Claiborne,
Hinds, Copiah, Simpson, Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones,
Forrest, Perry, Greene, George, and Jackson Counties, Mississippi; and
Mobile County, Alabama.
The general location of the proposed pipeline is shown in the
figure included as Appendix 1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Specifically, SESH proposes to construct and operate the following
facilities:
Approximately 270 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline
beginning in Richland Parish, Louisiana and ending in Mobile County,
Alabama;
Three natural gas compressor stations: Delhi Compressor
Station in Richland Parish (30,000 hp), Louisiana; Gwenville Compressor
Station in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi (15,000 hp) and the
Lucedale Compressor Station in George County, Mississippi (15,000 hp);
Three booster compressor stations at the Texas Eastern
Transmission LP (TETLP) meter and regulation (M&R) Station, at the
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation (Transco) M&R Station, and at
the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (Tennessee Gas) M&R Station in
Copiah, Jefferson Davis and Forrest Counties, Mississippi;
Twelve natural gas pipeline interconnects and M&R
Stations; and
Three pig launching and receiving facilities and several
mainline valves.
SESH proposes to have the project constructed and operational by
June 2008.
Land Requirements for Construction
As proposed, the typical construction right-of-way for the project
pipeline would be 100 feet wide. Following construction, SESH has
proposed to retain a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way for operation
of the project.
[[Page 44686]]
Additional, temporary extra workspaces beyond the typical construction
right-of-way limits may also be required at certain feature crossings
(e.g., roads, railroads, wetlands, or waterbodies), in areas with steep
side slopes, or in association with special construction techniques. In
residential areas, wetlands, and other sensitive areas, the
construction right-of-way width would be reduced as necessary to
protect homeowners and environmental resources.
Based on preliminary information, construction and operation of the
proposed project facilities would affect about 3,789 acres of land.
Following construction, about 1,616 acres would be maintained as
permanent right-of-way, and about 120 acres of land would be maintained
as new aboveground facility sites. The remaining 2,053 acres of
temporary workspace (including all temporary construction rights-of-
way, extra workspaces, and pipe storage and contractor yards) would be
restored and allowed to revert to its former use.
The EIS Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from the approval of an interstate natural gas pipeline. The
FERC will use the EIS to consider the environmental impact that could
result if the CEGT project is authorized under section 7 of the Natural
Gas Act.
NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns the public
may have about proposals to be considered by the Commission. This
process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping
process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important
environmental issues. With this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff
is requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to be
addressed in the EIS. All comments received will be considered during
preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
Water resources;
Wetlands and vegetation;
Fish and wildlife;
Threatened and endangered species;
Land use, recreation, and visual resources;
Air quality and noise;
Cultural resources;
Socioeconomics;
Reliability and safety; and
Cumulative impacts.
In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the
proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to Federal, State, and local
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners;
commentors; other interested parties; local libraries and newspapers;
and the FERC's official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day
comment period will be allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will
consider all comments on the draft EIS and revise the document, as
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We will consider all comments on
the final EIS before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To
ensure that your comments are considered, please follow the
instructions in the Public Participation section of this notice.
Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has
already initiated its NEPA review under the Commission's Pre-filing
Process. The purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to encourage the
early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and
resolve issues before an application is filed with the FERC.
With this notice, we are asking Federal, State, and local
governmental agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with
respect to environmental issues, especially those identified in
Appendix 2, to express their interest in becoming cooperating agencies
for the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to
participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to their
responsibilities. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided in
Appendix 2.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already
identified several issues that we think deserve attention based on a
preliminary review of the project site and the facility information
provided by CEGT. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based
on your comments and our analysis.
Potential effects on prime farmland and erodable soils.
Potential impacts to perennial and intermittent
waterbodies, including waterbodies with Federal and/or State
designations/protections.
Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands
and development of appropriate mitigation.
Potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including
potential impacts to federally and state-listed threatened and
endangered species.
Potential visual effects of the aboveground facilities on
surrounding areas.
Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and
economy.
Potential impacts to local air and noise quality
associated with construction and operation.
Public safety and potential hazards associated with the
transport of natural gas.
Alternative alignments for the pipeline route and
alternative sites for the compressor stations.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the proposed project. By becoming a
commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly
recorded, please carefully follow these instructions:
Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Magalie
R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First
St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Label one copy of your comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 2, DG2E.
Reference Docket No. PF06-28-000 on the original and both
copies.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before August 28, 2006.
Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include
all comments that we receive within a reasonable timeframe in our
environmental analysis of this project. The Commission strongly
encourages electronic filing of any
[[Page 44687]]
comments in response to this Notice of Intent. For information on
electronically filing comments, please see the instructions on the
Commission's Web site at www.ferc.gov.
The public scoping meetings are designed to provide another
opportunity to offer comments on the proposed project. Interested
groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the meetings and to
present comments on the environmental issues they believe should be
addressed in the EIS. A transcript of each meeting will be generated so
that your comments will be accurately recorded.
Once SESH formally files its application with the Commission, you
may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and
are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts
if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site.
Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time.
You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission.
Environmental Mailing List
An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the proposed project. This includes all landowners who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily
for project purposes, or who own homes within distances defined in the
Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities.
If you received this notice, you are on the environmental mailing
list for this project. If you do not want to send comments at this
time, but still want to remain on our mailing list, please return the
Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information
Request, you will be removed from the Commission's environmental
mailing list.
Availability of Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC (3372).
Additional information can also be found on the Internet at
www.ferc.gov. The ``eLibrary link'' on the FERC Web site provides
access to documents submitted to and issued by the Commission, such as
comments, orders, notices and rulemakings. Once on the FERC Web site,
click on the ``eLibrary link,'' select ``General Search'' and in the
``Docket Number'' field enter the project docket number excluding the
last three digits (PF06-28). When researching information be sure to
select an appropriate date range. In addition, the FERC now offers a
free e-mail service called eSubscription that allows you to keep track
of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can
reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by
automatically providing you with notification of these filings,
document summaries and direct links to the documents. To register for
this service, go to www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
For assistance with the FERC Web site or with eSubscription, please
contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
at 1-866-208-3676, or TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
Finally, SESH has established an Internet Web site for this project
at www.duke-energy.com/companies/degt/projects/sesh/. The Web site
includes a description of the project, a map of the proposed pipeline
route, and answers to frequently asked questions. You can also request
additional information or provide comments directly to SESH at 1-888-
312-7374.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-12720 Filed 8-4-06; 8:45 am]
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